1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerator. More particularly, the present invention relates to a gasket used in a refrigerator in which a single storage space is opened and closed by two doors, and a storage space sealing structure using the same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A refrigerator maintains an interior of a storage space at a predetermined temperature, and thus keeps stored goods fresh. There are various kinds of refrigerators. Lately, a refrigerator in which a single storage space is opened and closed by two doors has also come into the market. FIGS. 1 and 2 show a refrigerator according to a prior art in which a single storage space is opened and closed by two doors.
As shown in the figures, the interior of a refrigerator main body 1 is vertically divided into a refrigerating chamber 3 and a freezing chamber 5. A plurality of shelves 11 and accommodation boxes 13 are installed in the refrigerating and freezing chambers 3 and 5 in order to accommodate foods. The refrigerating and freezing chambers 3 and 5 are selectively opened and closed by first and second refrigerating chamber-doors 7 and 7′ and a freezing chamber door 9, respectively. The first and second refrigerating chamber doors 7 and 7′ are opened and closed in such a way that their distal ends facing each other pivot about their proximal ends connected to both side ends of the refrigerator main body 1. The freezing chamber door 9 may be forwardly drawn in a sliding manner. Reference numerals 7a, 7′a, and 9a designate door handles.
When the refrigerating chamber doors 7 and 7′ are closed, in order to prevent cold air in the refrigerating chamber 3 from leaking out, there are provided gaskets Ga and Gc. The gaskets Ga and Gc consist of the side gaskets Ga provided on the respective distal ends of the refrigerating chamber doors 7 and 7′ adjacent to each other, and the rear gaskets Gc provided on respective rear surfaces of the refrigerating chamber doors 7 and 7′ corresponding to a front surface of the refrigerator main body 1. The gaskets Ga and Gc are magnetic.
In the meantime, as a sectional view taken along line III–III′ of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 shows a portion where the side gaskets Ga provided on side surfaces of the respective distal ends of the refrigerating chamber doors 7 and 7′ are in contact with each other. As shown in the figure, portions of the side surfaces and the front surfaces of the refrigerating chamber doors 7 and 7′ are defined by outer plates 20, and the inner or rear surfaces thereof are defined by door liners 24. Each of the outer plates 20 consists of a front surface portion 21 defining the front surface thereof and a side surface portion 22 defining the side surface thereof. Each internal space defined by the outer plate 20 and the door liner 24 is formed with an insulating layer 24′. An insertion flange portion 23 is formed on a distal end of each side surface portion 22 to extend vertically in parallel with each front surface portion 21.
The respective side surfaces of the refrigerating chamber doors 7 and 7′ facing each other are provided with door brackets 25. The respective door brackets 25 are formed with a length corresponding to a vertical length of the refrigerating chamber doors 7 and 7′, and thus define portions of the side surfaces of the refrigerating chamber doors 7 and 7′. The door brackets 25 are formed with vertically elongated insertion grooves 26 into which the insertion flange portions 23 are inserted, respectively. Flange portions 27 are provided at opposite sides of the insertion grooves 26 to be brought into close contact with inner surfaces of the door liners 24, respectively.
Outer surfaces of the door brackets 25 are formed with installation spaces 28 concaved toward the insulating layers 24′, respectively. The installation space 28 extends in the lengthwise direction of the door bracket 25. The installation space 28 is formed so that a width of an inlet side thereof is relatively narrower than that of an inner side thereof. A gasket holder 30 is installed in each of the installation spaces 28. The gasket holder 30 extends in the lengthwise direction of the installation space 28. The gasket holder 30 is made of metal or synthetic resin with a predetermined hardness. When the gasket holder 30 is shown as a sectional plan view, a hinge hole 30′ is formed at an end of each of the gasket holders 30 corresponding to the refrigerating chamber 3 side. Each of the door brackets 25 are provided with a hinge shaft 31 positioned in the hinge hole 30′. Thus, the gasket holder 30 may pivot about the hinge shaft 31.
Ends of the gasket holders 30 opposite to the hinge holes 30′ are formed with protruding stoppers 32, respectively. The stopper 32 serves to be caught on a side of the interior of the installation space 28 so that the gasket holder 30 does not protrude out of the installation space 28. The gasket holder 30 tends to rotate in the direction to protrude out of the installation space 28 by an elastic member. A mounting channel 33 is formed in each of the gasket holders 30 in the lengthwise direction thereof. The mounting channel 33 is opened to the inlet of the installation space 28, and has an inlet that is narrower than an inner side thereof.
The gasket holders 30 are mounted with the side gaskets Ga. A gasket main body Gb of each of the side gaskets Ga has flexibility, and a magnet Mg is provided in the gasket main body Gb. A mounting rib Gr is formed on a surface of each of the gasket main bodies Gb in the lengthwise direction. The mounting rib Gr is formed with a cross section corresponding to that of the interior of the mounting channel 33. Thus, the mounting rib Gr is inserted into the mounting channel 33, so that the side gasket Ga is mounted to the gasket holder 30. Reference numeral 35 not described designates door covers.
However, the above prior art has the following problems.
In the prior art, the side gaskets Ga are rotatably installed in the installation spaces 28 of the door brackets 25. However, if the side gaskets Ga is to be rotatably installed, the installation spaces 28 cannot be completely sealed. Therefore, there is a problem in that cold air leaks out through the side gaskets.
In addition, when the first or second refrigerating chamber door 7 or 7′ is opened or closed, the side gaskets Ga of the respective doors 7 and 7′ come into close contact with each other and thus the gasket holders 30 pivot on the hinge shafts 31, so that distal ends thereof swing into the installation spaces 28, respectively. However, if the gasket holders 30 excessively pivot, the gasket holders 30 collide against inner surfaces of the installation spaces 28, thereby producing noises. It is the reason why the gasket holders 30 and the door brackets 25 have a predetermined hardness.
Furthermore, according to the prior art, the magnets Mg are provided throughout entire surfaces of the gasket main bodies Gb which are brought into close contact with each other. Thus, since a magnetic force of the magnets Mg acts on the whole of the gasket main bodies Gb that are in close contact with each other, the magnetic force is relatively large. Accordingly, there is a problem in that it is relatively difficult to open the refrigerating chamber doors 7 and 7′.
In addition, the magnets Mg have the predetermined hardness, which causes the flexibility of the gasket main bodies Gb to be reduced. Since the magnets Mg are also provided at the interiors of portions of the gasket main bodies Gb which first come into contact with each other when the refrigerating chamber doors 7 and 7′ are closed (or portions of the gasket main bodies Gb which lastly comes apart from each other when the refrigerating chamber doors 7 and 7′ are opened), there is a problem in that such portions are severely worn out or damaged. In particular, since the portions of the gasket main bodies Gb, which first come into contact with each other or lastly come apart from each other when the refrigerating chamber doors 7 and 7′ are opened or closed, are adjacent to the hinge shafts 31 on which the door brackets 25 pivot, the collision force between the gasket main bodies Gb becomes large.